The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-05-19
Grange Picnic and Bran Dance.
Written for the GOLD Leaf
RY 4. HATCHETT,

On the first Sunday after my ar
rival in these regions attended church
near the little village of Santa Fee, in
Audraln county, where | was intro
duced to several OF the bellies OF the
day, the healthy looking daughters of
the prairie cattle kings, whose pride
did not prevent their seeking the cor
raj with bride in hand, catching a
horse unassisted, twisting the name
around their hand, mounting upon
his bare back, with no rock, fence or
stump to help, and riding to the house
where the side saddle was adjusted
with her own taper fngers-girls so
independent, when they came to
church without an escort would not
permit themselves to be assisted from
their seat by anyone, and who would
accept no company home save those
who came with them.
1t was at this date (IS73) one of
those national crazes, SO peculiar to
the American people, known as the
Orange was at its zenith, and particu-
lariy in the West every pulse from the
grlsly and horny handed patriarch of
the first settlers" to the rosy checked
little Ceres and Ponona's was at fever
heat. A grand picnic was to be held
by the order about the middle of July
at Ciark's mill, on Salt river, and all
Northeast Missouri was invited. For
weeks the coming event was talked of
10y day and dreamed of by night, while
Preparations of gigantic scale pro-
oeeded. The ever memorable day
dawned at last, and at sunrise, percbed
on the front seat of spring wagon,
with one of my hosts daughters, while
the other sat behind with her affianCed,
whether to watch me or prevent being
watched, | never knew drew the
reins over a "spiked team" of four
1.-TWO "black as nights plutonian shore"
the other pair white as driven SNOWY
rearing, plunging quadrupeds; and we
ratified across the country at John Gil
pin speed, while great clouds of dust
rising from approaching caravans met
the eye at every point; nor Stacked we
our speed till under the shade of the
timber which adorns the banks of Salt
river at Clark's mill-our rendezvous.
Here between five and six thousand
people had met, heterogeneous mix
ture from every land ard clime-a typ
zeal Western gathering. Two hun
dred and fifty sheep, thirty oxen, with
pigs, fowls and other living things too
numerous to mention had been sacri
heed to appease the appetite of the
Orange god. On the level plateau,
just below the mill, was an arbor shad |
ing square acre Of ground, covered
over about two inches deep in saw
dust. In the center of the arbor was
a platform, the throne of the prompter.
who directed the brass band and gave
his commands to the acre of dancers
through a speaking trumpet, for none
were permitted under its shade save
those who paid homage to Terpsichore
In my boyish days | had read of the
'bran dances" of our ancestors in Co
ionial times. but the historian wa,
either lacking in truth or ability, prob
ably the latter, to give an adequat,
conception of it, for who can describ,
thousand people, of dozen differen.
languages, 1.-THE forms. draped in cost,
iaorlcs gotten up la, "Greciai
bend" with approved spring append
ages SO exciting their admiration tina
ike Lots wife, they look Rack. Stou /
forms and strong, black eyes and blu, {
wearing no more gowns than backs, I.
shom lacing and corsets are unknown. -